Chess Opening Theory/1. e4/1...e5

Open Game
a b c d e f g h 8 8 7 7 6 6 5 5 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 a b c d e f g h
Position in Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN) rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w
Moves: 1. e4 e5
ECO code: C20–C99
Parent: King's Pawn Game
Responses: 2. Nf3 - Open Game 2. Bc4 - Bishop's Opening 2. f4 - King's Gambit 2. Nc3 - Vienna Game 2. d4 - Centre Game 2. Nh3 - Basman Attack

1...e5 · Open Game

1...e5, the Open Game (or Double King's Pawn Game), is Black's classical response to 1. e4. By mirroring White's move, Black grabs an equal share of the centre and scope to develop some pieces. 1...e5 is one of the few moves that directly interferes with White's ideal plan of playing d4.

But, the move's merit is also a drawback: the longer the position remains symmetrical, the longer White will have an advantage by moving first. Also, the pawn on e5 is undefended, and it is easy for White to develop in a way that restricts Black's possible responses, by simply threatening to capture it.

Though the move is still common at every level, it saw a modest decline in popularity during the 20th century.

White's responses

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Nf3   (King's Knight)

The overwhelmingly popular move here – about 10 times more common than everything else combined – is 2. Nf3.

This threatens Black's undefended pawn while developing a piece in preparation for castling on the kingside. The developed knight also defends the d4 square preparing for a future d2-d4 pawn push.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Bc4   (Bishop)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Nc3   (Vienna)

2. Bc4, the Bishop's Opening, and 2. Nc3, the Vienna Game, are simple alternative ways of developing a piece.

They don't give Black a particular problem to deal with, but they aren't bad moves either, and they keep open the option of either d4 or f4.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. f4   (King's Gambit)

Another plan is to try and lever open the f-file for an attack on Black's weak f7 point with 2. f4, the King's Gambit.

This was popular in Victorian times and earlier, but Black has now found a few reliable ways of grabbing the proffered pawn and keeping it.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. d4   (Centre)

Or, White can smash the centre open with 2. d4 in order to develop pieces with great speed, sacrificing a pawn or two if necessary.

Less common responses

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. d3   (Indian)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Qh5   (Parham)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Qf3   (Napoleon)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. c3   (Centre Pawn)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Bb5   (Portuguese)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Ne2   (Alapin)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. g4   (Fernando Torres)

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

2. Ke2   (Bongcloud Attack)

Other less common moves:

• 2. d3 - Indian Opening
• 2. Qh5 - Parham Attack
• 2. Qf3 - Napoleon Opening
• 2. c3 - Centre Pawn Opening
• 2. Bb5 - Portuguese Opening
• 2. Ne2 - Alapin's Opening
• 2. g4 - Fernando Torres Variation
• 2. Ke2? - Bongcloud Attack
• 2. b3!? - Charles' Opening
• 2. Qg4? - Speers Attack

Statistics

Approximate chances

White win ??%, Draw ??%, Black win ??%.

Estimated next move popularity

Nf3 82%, Bc4 5%, Nc3 4%, f4 4%, d4 2%, all others less than 1%

move	average	365Chess.com (big)	Chess Tempo (all)	chessgames.com	Lichess (masters)	Lichess (database)
2. Nf3	82.1%	86.0	87.3	84.7	91.7	61.1
2. Bc4	4.8	3.8	3.7	2.9	3.2	10.4
2. Nc3	4.4	4.2	4.1	4.8	2.7	6.2
2. f4	4.1	3.7	3.0	6.1	1.7	6.1
2. d4	2.3	1.7	1.5	1.1	0.6	6.4
2. d3	0.6	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	2.9
2. Qh5	0.6	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.9
2. Qf3	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.3
2. c3	0.2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.6
2. c4	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.4
2. f3	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.4
2. g3	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.3
2. Bb5	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.2
2. Ne2	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.1
2. g4	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
2. Ke2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
everything else	0.2	0.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	0.8

Theory table

1. e4 e5

	2	3	4	5	6	7	Evaluation
Ruy Lopez	Nf3 Nc6	Bb5 a6	Ba4 Nf6	O-O Be7	Re1 b5	Bb3 d6	=
Bishop's Opening	Bc4 Nf6	d4 exd4	Nf3 Bb4+	c3 dxc3	bxc3 Bc5	e5 d5	=
Vienna Game	Nc3 Nf6	f4 d5	fxe5 Nxe4	Nf3 Be7	d4 Bb4	Bd2 Bg4	=
King's Gambit	f4 exf4	Nf3 g5	h4 g4	Ne5 Nf6	Bc4 d5	exd5 Bd6	=
Center Game	d4 exd4	Qxd4 Nc6	Qe3 Nf6	Nc3 Bb4	Bd2 O-O	O-O-O Re8	=
Indian Opening	d3 Nc6	f4 exf4	Bxf4 d5	exd5 Qxd5	Nc3 Qa5	Qd2 Bf5	=
Parham Attack	Qh5 Nc6	Bc4 g6	Qf3 Nf6	Ne2 Bg7	Nbc3 d6	O-O O-O	=
Napoleon Opening	Qf3 Nf6	Bc4 Nc6	Ne2 d6	Nbc3 Bg4	Qe3 Nb4	Bb3 Be6	=
Centre Pawn Opening	c3 d5	exd5 Qxd5	d4 Nc6	Nf3 Nf6	Nxe5 Nxe5	Qe2 Be6	=
Portuguese Opening	Bb5 c6	Ba4 Nf6	Nc3 Bc5	Nf3 d6	d3 a5	Bb3 Nbd7	=
Alapin's Opening	Ne2 Nf6	d4 Nxe4	f3 Ng5	dxe5 Nc6	f4 Ne6	Nbc3 d6	=
Fernando Torres Opening	g4? d5!	exd5 Qxd5	Qf3 Qe6	h3 Nc6	Bb5 Bd7	Ne2 O-O-O	=/+
Bongcloud Attack	Ke2?! Nf6	Nc3 Bc5	Nf3 d5	d3 Ng4	Bg5 f6	Bh4 d4	-/+

References

• Nunn's Chess Openings. 1999. John Nunn (Editor), Graham Burgess, John Emms, Joe Gallagher. ISBN 1-8574-4221-0.

• Modern Chess Openings: MCO-14. 1999. Nick de Firmian, Walter Korn. ISBN 0-8129-3084-3.

• Kasparov, Garry, & Keene, Raymond 1989 Batsford chess openings 2. ISBN 0-8050-3409-9.

External links

• 365Chess: 1. e4 e5

For explanation of theory tables, see theory table and for notation, see algebraic notation.